Getting started

[crazy8]

Ok so I need to ask the pros a series of questions. So a friend and I are working on a site and looking to put alot of time and effort into it as a business. So I gues the simple question to ask would be...

After we have a site then what?

But of course even I know its not that easy so here is a few things im wondering specificly.

Once we have a site...
How do we become a "legit" business?
Whats required to get started?
Do we just launch the site and do what we need to do with it and thats it?
How do we keep up with it?
To get started, what is everything I should know and do to do so?

Thanks for all the help

[vtwin_gary]

what is the business?

you'll need to start with at least a business license, checking account, maybe an attorney & an accountant

[budafist]

After we have a site then what?
I'll assume you and your friend are offering graphic design and/or web design services. Once your is up, you want to direct as many potential clients as you can to the site. Email all your friends and family, people you went to design school with etc. Make up some business cards with the website address on it to hand out to potential clients.

Marketing yourself is more than just building a website and sitting back and hoping for the best.

How do we become a "legit" business?
It depends on your country's laws. Every business will be a little different. In New Zealand, we don't have to pay GST until our business is making more than $40,000NZ per year. This means that until you make $40,000NZ and are GST registered, you can't claim back anything in NZ. You can register your business in your area though.

Whats required to get started?
So, so vague.

Do we just launch the site and do what we need to do with it and thats it?
Nope. See above.

How do we keep up with it?
Do you mean how do you keep your site current? Add new work to the site when you do it. Find ways keep your site new and interesting so that you can email your client base and let them know what has changed.

To get started, what is everything I should know and do to do so?
I can't answer that for you.

[WannaBrie]

take some courses in business.

[vxbda]

I would start with your business plan. You have one of those, right? Writing a solid business plan will chart the course for your business. It outlines things like, your role in the company and the role of your partner, how much money you plan on making, how that money allocated, who the target market is and how you will obtain new customers.

Having these things written down will provide a foundation from which you and your partner can operate from. Without it, you're pretty much shooting in the dark.

[crazy8]

Ok so with doing a business plan am I stuck googling or do any of you know of an online source on how to write one up and what info I need and all of that?

Thank you all for the help I realy appreciate it

[Kool]

I'd recommend you browse through this forum http://www.small-business-forum.com/ They have a ton of advice and links to templates and such.

[crazy8]

awesome, thanks alot Ill do that.

[D-Frag]

Once we have a site...
How do we become a "legit" business?

Secretary of State will give you the credentials you need and point you in the right direction.

Whats required to get started?

Some basic knowledge of sales, business ethics, secretarial work, archiving, billing, taxes, laws, trans-state commerce, maybe even global since you might get clients in other countries. The list could be limitless, there is a ton you need to know to run your own succesful business.

Do we just launch the site and do what we need to do with it and thats it? Not necessarily, your going to want your SEO to be spot on, a little trick to this is google what your company is planning on doing, then look at the source code for the sites that are on top and pretty much copy there keywords for your own code.

How do we keep up with it? About 90% of our business comes from the internet, and we do NO advertising, its just all SEO, which im sure you know is a black art and there are many ways you can go about that. Hire more people when you are ready and getting enough work.


To get started, what is everything I should know and do to do so? haha, yeah this is a pretty vague question, like buda stated above its alot of information to process, some good books at your local book store on business and more specifically online business might help you out more.

[jimmiecat]

Add some advertising somewhere in there too. A random unhooked-up site to the virtual world or the real world leaves you eating twinkies on your couch all day.